Spectacular Tanzania + the Serengeti

You’ll be met upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to the storied Four Points by Sheraton, The Arusha Hotel. Tracing its history to 1894, our landmark property is infused with the spirit of classic safaris from a bygone era. Now managed by Sheraton, it offers every modern comfort including free WiFi.

After breakfast, we’ll take you overland to Tarangire National Park where you’ll check in to our luxury safari lodge. Tarangire remains off the main safari circuit, making it a premier destination for discriminating travelers in search of a more intimate and authentic safari experience. You’ll arrive in time for lunch and your first afternoon game drive - followed by Sundowner Cocktails and an elegant dinner back at camp.  Meals B+L+D

Thrill to morning and afternoon game drives with our expert safari guides here in one of Tanzania’s most visually striking national parks. The Tarangire River is nearby – a magnet for wildlife – and the surrounding scenery encompasses classic African savannah, green hills, woodlands and giant Baobab trees! Tarangire is heralded for abundant wildlife, especially its large herds of elephants and superb birdlife. Lions, leopards, cheetahs and other fierce predators are also regularly spotted. This evening, we’ll take you out again for an exciting night safari to search for nocturnal species and to experience the night sounds of the African bush.  Meals B+L+D

This morning, enjoy a scenic drive through northern Tanzania, traveling from the wildlife-rich landscapes of Tarangire to the cool highlands of Ngorongoro. Along the way, stop at a local school to spend time with students and staff, gaining insight into the challenges and successes of daily life in Tanzania.  Continue on to Ngorongoro and check in to your safari lodge offering a gracious setting from which to explore one of the world’s largest intact calderas. After lunch, visit a traditional Maasai village, where community members warmly welcome you to share their way of life. Learn about age-old customs, enjoy vibrant ceremonial dances, and discover how this proud, semi-nomadic people maintain a deep connection to the land. This evening, a chief’s son shares personal reflections on Maasai life and traditions, enriching your understanding of this enduring culture. Meals: B+L+D

*Guests travelling in 2027 will stay at Neptune Ngorongoro.
 

There is no place anywhere on the planet that is quite like Ngorongoro Crater c, and it offers an absolutely unique environment for wildlife viewing. With its vast expanses of open grassland surrounded by steep cliffs, the crater floor is easy for game officials to patrol and the result is abundant wildlife including rare species like black rhino and cheetah. Because our camp enjoys a prime location by the Lemala Crater Access Route, you’ll descend quickly this morning for a spectacular game drive before other visitors have even arrived on the crater floor!
 
We’ve also arranged for Lemala’s skilled chefs to provide our guests with a picnic lunch, meaning you’ll have more time for wildlife viewing here in this absolutely singular setting. Returning to our luxury camp this afternoon, you’ll have time to relax before dinner.  Meals B+L+D

Traveling this morning into the unique terrain of Olduvai Gorge, you’ll learn about the passions that drove Louis and Mary Leakey to their remarkable 1.8-million-year-old fossil discoveries. Continue your journey into the vast expanse of the Central Serengeti , unequaled for its beauty and the concentration of its wildlife - including Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Cape Buffalo. In addition to these Big 5 animals, so named not for their size but because safari hunters considered them to be the most difficult and dangerous to track, the Serengeti is home to numerous other herbivores and the fierce predators which are rarely far behind. Enjoy an afternoon game drive before relaxing with Sundowner cocktails and an elegant dinner at the exclusive Lemala Ewanjan. Meals B+L+D

Animals, too, have their regular routines and this morning’s hot air balloon safari in the sharp clear light of dawn is an amazing time to gaze down as the wildlife of the Serengeti greets another day. Touch back down for a champagne breakfast and a morning game drive. Back at camp, you’ll have ample time to relax and share your impressions of Africa with your fellow adventurers. A late afternoon safari drive promises more encounters with the wide variety of primates, birds, horned bovines, wild dogs, ungulates and big cats that roam the Serengeti. Meals B+L+D

Depending upon the season, follow the Great Migration herds as they make their way across the vast plains: you’ll travel to either Lemala Ndutu in the Southern Serengeti or Lemala Mara to the North. (Note: When the Migration is in the Central Serengeti, our guests will continue their stay at Lemala Ewanjan.)  With animals constantly on the move in their inexorable quest for food and water, your camp’s setting affords unmatched game viewing at any time of year.

From April to June and in November, you’ll stay longer at Lemala Ewanjan, set within the game-rich Seronera Valley in a secluded part of the Central Serengeti. This region is renowned for terrific game viewing all year long - due to its abundance of water. But during the months that our guests are here for a total of 4 nights, the Seronera Valley receives the annual wildebeest migration – turning the area into an exciting wildlife amphitheater!

From July to October, we’ll take you from the Central Serengeti to Lemala Mara Camp, set amid the sweeping landscapes of the Northern Serengeti. This intimate camp lies in the heart of one of the region’s premier game-viewing areas and, at this time of year, offers exceptional access to the dramatic spectacle of the Great Migration river crossings.

From December to March, a scenic overland drive takes you into the Southern Serengeti to stay at Lemala Ndutu Camp. Perched on the edge of a permanent marsh, our safari camp is ideally situated for the wildebeest migration as the animals arrive in search of water and to feed on the nutritious grasses that surround our Camp. By February, the calving season has begun and the vast herds continue to feed in preparation for the never-ending cycle that comprises the annual wildebeest migration!
 
After lunch, enjoy a leisurely afternoon at your Lemala camp. Later you’ll gather for Sundowner Cocktails – a great time to engage further with our expert safari guide, thus deepening your appreciation of the Serengeti, its unique eco-systems and wildlife.  Meals B+L+D

The Maasai call it Siringitu - "the place where the land moves on forever." Indeed, these wide open expanses are awe-inspiring in their natural beauty. But the Serengeti is also renowned for its extraordinary concentration of plains game - including of course the Big Five. So expect today’s morning and afternoon safari drives to be heart-pounding and inspiring. And in the company of our engaging, impassioned and knowledgeable safari guides, today's activities offer more chances to learn about Tanzania and its abundant natural wealth.  Meals B+L+D
 

Transfer to the airstrip for your included flight to Arusha. After lunch at the Arusha Coffee Lodge, set on one of Tanzania’s largest coffee plantations, we’ll take you to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight.  Meals B+L